Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1887-01-05
MAKING MANDARINS.
ACCOUNT OF A CHINESE CIVIL
SERVICE EXAMINATION.

Description of the Place Where the
Great Examinations Are Held.
onicial Corruption-A Trick to Obtain
''substitute"-Other Methods.
Started off early In the morning with
my venerable boy" to find the eXamina-
ton Hall for would be mandarins | ex-
pected to see majestic pile of buildings,
as impressive in its way as the Alumni
hall at Yale or the Berlin university.
| All accounts of China that had seen re
ferred to the civil service examinations of
the empire as the foundation of the cOun-
try's stability and of her peoples happi-
ness. had read that the highest offices
under the government We're within reach
| of the humblest peasant, provided he
| passed successfully the various examina-
tions conducted by distinguished and dis
interested scholars. II what writers on
| China have said be true, we can afford to
! copy her in this respect, for what can be
more inspiring TO our schoOlboys than the
thought of being able TO reach honor and
! fame by making high marks in the recita-
ton rOom' On entering what purported
TO be the place where the examinations
were held, | found myself inside of vast
wall surrounding a few acres of what in
Chicago would be taken for cattle sheds
Each one of these cattle pen looking stalls,
Of which there are 10000 in the inclosure,
is meant 10 receive a candidate for exami-
nation.
This candidate sits crouched on a board
floor raised a few inches from the ground.
1t is hard to tell whether the elevation is
made to secure him from dampness or to
facilitate an inspection Of the premises 10y
those whose business it is TO see that no
"Skinning papers" are used. The candi-
dates body is pinioned to the back of the
cell by sort OF sewing board which slides
in like IA shelf against his stomach. This
is used as table. These cells are arranged
iii long tiers with guard ali at each end TO
see that no communication takes place
between the aSpiraut and the outside
world. At the ends of these alleys stand
large jars of water and caldrons in which
the food is cooked which the guardians
supply to them. No one is allowed to
leave his cell until his examination papers
are completed. These examinations last
as long as the candidate can endure the
discomfort of his position-often for sew
eral days. In the midst of these dreary
little prison alleys is handsomely carved
pdNlliOIlt "HtIe SIt INC CLlei tAaullueIS
and high officials, and where the determi-
nations are reached that make or unmake
the Chinese Office seeker.
IRREpEEN,BLY CORRUPT.
Date. ,,, ,,- nal, ;r,,5 ,;-
- III, ~" r., -. CLi,n.a atsotaIn
L. ;.-'J",T, IL oi,S an,t &c,
- h,,t ,;at, ,'a,, =. pA h
-, M @ - 90 ,aJ1 " :, De 80. tn-' =,
Ia,,i., ), .irI pa' N " ,N,,o ~ IN ~
~ Chi...,' - -, 80 -:
I'a,,s.n;n 80, w. D. -. ~ eo,,
Co. tha o.n,,,ioa,io, a,,,,s ~.
-, ~, - ni,a'',' - ~. i;,,Sep, ~
,ha'a,,,,,;,,or, ~ a, - Iahn III
80, I,is s.s,,bs,i,,,,a ', -, ;a s.hoIar
L., t,,, i,,,,,ao,,,,;a,'s i,,d;',;a,,aI -.
~, Ha-,.;I,,, =, -, h,,. ha;.,IanH Ill -
dat.s 60. ordari,Dbin " IL SS ' pnraa;n =,
Sbin. no - - aI'in - ts--h
90 5aI;"at, - - ,,',sn ';lu ~ ;oi InI q
TLera -, ,,,' 81, -. n..o; ~.
VIZ 60 ~ rs" -, .go;ais sp ~.
-, - 80 - ~ ;in.;I " ~. s
not 20 t.l'o y,Iocs Tor saxaraI r,ontbs r.
- -. Iam,h -,
oond;Jata "a ,bosohnIarI, h,It ;,,no.,'n
- s,'bs,;,,,,o aroLanaa -. W.,
,Sa - ~. - =, 81. s;oL 80.
hos siatned tho 49, r,a,rs ,an,a 20 .
sInyeniy ,,i,.c., ~ ~ ,.b;is tho in,n.cun-
;oDs norfy hos 80, tha 81, ~ hi.
'O' ftH'| AS cA'>~ sHS StSNAN " AAs